In - Your Guide to College Admissions from The Princeton Review

The Rise of the Bachelor’s Degree

Over 30 percent of American adults now hold bachelor's degrees, the Census Bureau reported this week. It's the first time in U.S. history that such a large percentage of the population has reached this level of degree attainment.

Among the Census Bureau’s other findings:

• Women have caught up: men and women now hold about the same number of bachelor’s degrees.
• Students prefer science degrees: engineering and the sciences are the most popular fields of study.

Click here to read more on the New York Times.

A Student’s View: Visiting Friends at College

Jennifer Angelo is a high school senior and a contributor to The Princeton Review’s IN blog.

As a senior in high school, I have a lot of friends who are already in college. Hearing them talk about their current lives—and the freedoms they enjoy—always excites me for the coming years.

I was thrilled when some friends at Penn State recently invited me to visit them for a weekend. Even though my perception of Penn State wasn’t great—I thought of it as an overcrowded “party school”—I really wanted to experience college life first-hand.

It's funny how much one’s opinion can change in just a few hours. As soon as I arrived on campus, I immediately felt the warmth of the Penn State community. Everyone seemed so happy, whether they were hanging out in their dorm rooms (with doors open to visitors), playing racquetball in the gym, or handing out fliers for club events. The night I stayed over, my friends provided a long list of things we could do: go to a sailing club party, paint serving trays in the university center, visit the Joe Paterno statue at the stadium, go to a frat event—and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

There were dozens of opportunities that night, so I can only imagine the opportunities available to Penn State students over the course of a semester. While I didn't apply there, it was great to sample the ingredients of college life. I am hopeful that the schools to which I applied will have similar options for me.

One last thing struck me during my visit. Specifically, many of the things we hear about schools are just stereotypes. Yes, there are a lot of kids at Penn State—and there are parties—but it is also much more than that. From this experience, I decided that before I choose which college to attend next year, I should visit each of my choices for a night. You can only learn what it will be like if you live it first.

How Admissions Decisions Are Made

Curious what goes on at admissions offices this time of year?

The College Planning Blog recently provided an insider’s view of the entire application review process. Click here to check it out.

Hide Your Cash from Colleges

A recent post on the College Solution explains what to do with your free cash to maximize financial aid. Click here to check it out.

What a College Minor Can Do

Taking a minor in addition to a major can help you to distinguish yourself as a college student and grad.

A minor makes your existing interest in a given subject “official.” It also gives your degree a second “angle” that employers might appreciate.

Have an entrepreneurial bent? Add a business minor to your major. Have an artsy side? Add a film minor. Most departments and programs offer minors.

Click here to learn more from the Huffington Post and Her Campus.

Tuition Guarantees Gain Popularity Among Colleges

Would you like to attend a college that won’t raise your tuition every year?

According to U.S. News, many colleges are now offering “tuition guarantees” to entice prospective students to apply and enroll. Click here to learn more.

Building a "Digital Portfolio"

Many students today create digital portfolios to supplement their college applications.

According to MindShift, a number of services are now available to help students refine their portfolios and share them with schools. To learn more, check out this post.

Careers after For-Profit Colleges

Compared to the alumni of nonprofit colleges, the grads of proprietary institutions face lower salaries and higher unemployment rates. Click here to read more on the Chronicle of Higher Education.

“Alternative” Spring Breaks

Volunteer work is a great option for students who wish to do something meaningful over spring break.

Some students volunteer through school programs that send them across the country or abroad. Others prefer to do their work closer to home. For the latter group, StateUniversity.com recently compiled a list of local volunteering opportunities—click here to check it out.

In the News: Affirmative (and Negative) Action

Earlier today, the Supreme Court announced plans to revisit the legality of affirmative action in college admissions. Public universities are currently allowed to boost their enrollment of underrepresented minorities—i.e., blacks and Latinos—in the pursuit of improved diversity.

In related news, recent complaints that Harvard and Princeton employ more stringent admissions standards for Asian-American applicants were dropped last week.